Occupational Therapy is a profession within healthcare that focuses on how clients perform activities and roles that are most important to their daily lives, This includes assessing and treating physical, psychological, behavioral, cognitive, or sensory skills. Occupational therapists use assessment and intervention to develop, recover or maintain activities that are meaningful to the individual. Pediatric occupational therapy helps children gain independence while also strengthening the development of fine and gross motor skills, sensory motor skills and visual motor skills that are needed to function and socialize. For example, a pediatric occupational therapist may help a patient:
Improve or develop fine motor skills so they can handle and manipulate items such as crayons, pencils, toys, buttons and zippers, toys
Address hand-eye coordination to improve play and participation in or practice skills such as catching a ball, hitting a target, copying from a blackboard
Learn or master basic tasks such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and self-feeding.
Address concerns relating to self-regulation skills to improve quality of life and participation across settings.
Utilize or learn how to use specialized equipment to build independence. This may include splints, bathing equipment, dressing devices, or communication aids
Formal trainings for our team include the zones of regulation, handwriting without tears, integrated listening systems (iLs) and astronaut program, sensory integration programs.